


Do You Remember When We First Met?

by Akihaa



Series: Precious Days, Buried Memories (But no, I could never forget you). [1]
Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Childhood Friends AU, F!Byleth, F/F, commission
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-08
Updated: 2020-09-08
Packaged: 2021-03-06 17:02:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,032
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26362348
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Akihaa/pseuds/Akihaa
Summary: You were my first friend, too.
Relationships: My Unit | Byleth/Leonie Pinelli
Series: Precious Days, Buried Memories (But no, I could never forget you). [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1915693
Comments: 7
Kudos: 38





	Do You Remember When We First Met?

**Author's Note:**

> Commission work for my best bro @Mangocitrus! Check out their stuff on twitter because they rock. Will (hopefully) be continuing this into a series because I got a lot of ideas running and Leonie hardly gets enough luv from this fandom >:( 
> 
> Anyway, this work is based on a childhood AU we’d back and forth with each other a lot, if Leonie and Byleth had met when they were kids. Enjoy!

“Again. We’ll do it slower this time.”

Jeralt’s gruff voice rumbled a command as he approached a young, ginger haired girl. He grabbed the wooden training staff she held out with two hands and pulled, causing her to stumble forward.

“Alright, remember what I was tellin’ ya, Leonie. In a real scuffle like this, ain’t no chance that a runt like you is gonna overpower a big guy like me. You gotta use your head, speed, and utilize my own power against me, got it? So show me what’s next.”

Leonie’s brow furrowed, recalling the move Jeralt showed her that sent her flying into the ground and eating grass. Twist the pole, and heave.

Alright, twist the pole, and–

“W-woah!” Just as Leonie tried to turn the staff with her taut arms, Jeralt immediately countered, pulling on the staff harder and sending Leonie tumbling forward as he sidestepped. “Ouch…” She winced, sitting sat back up on the dirt as she rubbed the sore spot at the back of her head. Jeralt sighed, shaking his head as he rested the seized staff on his shoulder.

“Wrong. Like I said, you can’t overpower me; you have to use my own strength against me. Well, either way, I think we oughta wrap it up and call it a day, kid. It’s already sundown, so skedaddle on home and take a bath. We can practice more in the morning tomorrow. I’m heading back to the inn.” Just as Jeralt turned his back, Leonie sprung up from the floor.

“W-wait! One more time! I think I can do it this time, I just gotta–”

“I said, tomorrow, kid.” The mercenary scowled. Any stranger on the receiving end of that look would get frightened enough to get them shaky in their boots, but Leonie knew that he made that face out of kindness. “Get some rest. Learning when to stop before trying again is a part of becoming a warrior, too. Got it?”

Leonie’s lips pursed together. “Got it, Captain.”

“Good. See ya in the morning, kid.” The corner of Jeralt’s lips twitched up as he reached out a hand to ruffle Leonie’s mangy hair.

“H-hey, cut it out, Captain!” Leonie swatted a hand at Jeralt’s, but a small laugh that escaped her lips betrayed her feigned annoyance. After tousling Leonie’s hair to his fill, Jeralt turned to leave for the inn.

“Alright, I’m headin’ off now. Don’t gotta walk ya home, right? It’s your village, after all.” Leonie shook her head. “Good. See ya.” He passed the staff back to Leonie and sauntered away, leaving the girl watching his back disappear behind the corner.

Leonie heaved a sigh and leaned her head against the pole. Just what exactly was she doing wrong? She thought she was copying the move perfectly, but every time she put it into practice, Jeralt seems to poke a hole in her technique. As Leonie muttered this to herself, she heard muted footsteps shuffle against the grass, creeping up behind her back. She froze, ears training in on the distance of the sound as it got closer. It was clearly a human’s, and she could tell they were being calculative. She counted as she bid her time patiently, waiting until the pursuer was right at her back.

_One, two…_

On three, she spun around and swung the staff at the stalker.

“Woah!” But the stalker crouched perfectly in time, causing the staff to whoosh right over their head. Leonie was caught off guard, but she quickly moved to make another strike.

“W-wait! I’m not...trying to hurt you.” Leonie’s follower put her hands in the air as she spoke in a timid voice.

“...Huh?” Leonie quickly stopped herself to look down at the cowering girl.

“You were...training with my dad just now...right? I was watching you have trouble with...that one move.”

Leonie blinked. “Did you just say your dad? Captain Jeralt is your dad?” She put her staff down, and the girl straightened her back before nodding.

“My name is Byleth.”

“Byleth, huh? I’m Leonie! Nice to finally meetcha!” Leonie beamed and reached out a hand. Byleth stared at it blankly for a moment, but eventually met Leonie’s hand with hers. The village girl thought it strange, as if Byleth didn’t seem to know what a handshake was, but Leonie didn’t spare a second thought and instead gave her a good, excited shake that made Byleth’s whole arm move. “I heard the captain talk about you sometimes, but he said you were the shy type, so you wouldn’t come out of camp very often. To be honest, I wanted to meet you at least once, before Captain moves on to wherever the mercenary life takes him. Glad that wish came true!” Leonie laughed.

Byleth tilted her head and pointed at herself. “You wanted to meet...me?”

“Yeah!” Leonie nodded. “There’s not a lot of other girl’s my age in my village, and they don’t really care about hunting, or fishing, or any of the things I like. Oh, and uh...sorry for trying to attack you all of a sudden. I thought you were a bandit, or something.” She gave an awkward chuckle as she scratched the back of her head.

“Don’t worry. I...wanted to meet you too, actually. For a similar reason. That’s why I came out here.”

Strange, Leonie thought once more. Byleth’s stoic voice and face betrayed any hint of excitement or desire, but again, Leonie was willing to give her the benefit of the doubt.

“A similar reason? Ahh, I see. Captain’s troupe does have a lot of old guys, huh!”

Byleth tensed and quickly glanced around to check if anyone was listening, but nodded in agreement to Leonie’s blunt statement. Leonie’s shoulders shook as she laughed. Though Byleth didn’t laugh with her, she could tell from her eyes at least that she seemed amused.

“That move you were trying earlier, with my dad...you’re having problems, aren’t you?” Byleth brought up.

“Hm? Ah, yeah...I don’t know why, but I can’t seem to get it down. I swear I’m doing it just like Captain is doing it though.” Leonie’s face fell into a frown.

“I think...I know why.”

“Huh!? You do!?” Leonie’s eyes lit right up as she heard. For some reason, Byleth couldn’t help but compare her to a puppy.

“Yeah. It’s actually...because you’re trying to copy my dad, you can’t do it right.”

“...Wha?” Leonie’s brows furrowed as her head attempted to parse the sentence.

  
“Can I see?” Byleth pointed at the pole in Leonie’s hand.

“Y-yeah, sure. Here you go.” Leonie passed the pole to Byleth, which she held out horizontally with both arms.

“Thanks. Now...grab and pull.”

“A-alright.” Leonie did as instructed, attempting to pull the pole away from Byleth, but Byleth held firm as she stepped forward.

“Watch closely, okay? The problem is this space between me and you. My dad can do it from here, but that’s because he’s a guy. For someone like you or me, we have to get closer before turning. Like this.” Byleth took another step to close the distance, leaving almost only a hair’s breadth between her and Leonie’s noses, and Leonie’s breath caught in her throat. For someone apparently shy and timid, Byleth’s personality seemingly took a 180 when it comes to hand to hand combat. “This will make turning the staff, or spear, a lot easier. Like this.”

“Woah!”

Byleth quickly yanked the staff clockwise, tossing Leonie for a spin. For the umpteenth time, Leonie was thrown onto the grass with her legs over her head. But like always, she was quick to stand back up on her feet, this time with newfound determination.

“Here, now you try.” Byleth handed the staff over to Leonie. Leonie took it, held it out, and Byleth grabbed and pulled. “Now take one more step.” Leonie stepped.

“L-like this?”

“...You need to be a little bit closer than that.” Byleth frowned.

“O-oh, okay. Um...like this?” Leonie shuffled closer an inch or two.

Byleth nodded. “That should be good enough, but...in a real life situation, you can’t leave room for error. It’s dangerous.”

“Y-yeah! You’re right.”

Leonie nodded, though the truth was that she was nervous about getting too close and running out of breath again. But she of course, had kept that to herself.

“Anyway, now turn the staff. Quickly.”

On Byleth’s command, Leonie mustered all her strength, and twisted the pole with a shout. Byleth headed for the grass, but had held tightly onto the staff, causing Leonie to tumble down on top of her. Paying no mind to the scuffle, Leonie celebrated.

“I...did it! I did it, Byleth! Gosh, I can’t wait to show off to Captain tomorrow morning!” She cheered, not realizing the position they were in.

“Good job. You did it, Leonie.” A twinkle sparked in Byleth’s eye.

Nearby, the mercenary man who hid behind the corner gave a chuckle before walking away for real.

Once Leonie’s euphoria fizzled out, that racing sensation grappled inside her chest as she stopped breathing. “...Leonie?”

“H-huh? Oh, yeah! Sorry, lemme just, get off ya.” Leonie scrambled to her feet, then offered a hand to Byleth lying on the grass. Byleth had no hesitations taking it this time, being already well familiar with this situation, and grabbed on. Leonie heaved Byleth up to her feet, then patted the dirt off herself before speaking again once she calmed down.

“Thanks a bunch for the advice, Byleth! You’re a really great teach! Maybe one day you could be the captain’s assistant? Haha!”

“I don’t think...I could ever be a teacher. I get nervous when too many people look at me…” Byleth responded.

“Hm? But you taught me that move perfectly!! You were almost like a completely different person, even! I wonder why that technique works differently when Captain uses it though…?” Leonie put a finger to her chin.

“It’s because of something called...center of gravity. It’s different between a guy and a girl, apparently.” Byleth explained.

“Center of gravity? Uh, no idea what that means...where did you learn that stuff?”

“I read it in some book.”

“That sounds like some complicated book...I only ever read stuff like stories about knights and dragons...with lots of pictures and stuff.” Leonie rubbed at her neck as she shifted her weight to another foot.

“Do you...want to become a knight, Leonie?”

“Uh, hell no. I’m gonna become a mercenary, like the Captain, and have my own troupe!” The apprentice made a fist as she imagined herself on a grand horse with tons of battle scars. “I only read that stuff because there’s nothing else I _can_ read. I would rather go hunting or fishing anyway.” She sighed.

“...I like fishing.” Byleth uttered quietly, but Leonie’s ears instantly perked up.

“You do!? I mean, of course you do, you’re the Captain’s kid, after all!” She grabbed onto Byleth’s hands as her eyes sparkled. “Let’s go fishing together tomorrow, whaddaya say? After my training, of course.”

 _“Yeah, definitely like a puppy.”_ Byleth thought, watching Leonie’s pleading face. But she nodded, also excited by the idea of fishing with another girl her age.

“Yyyes!!!” Leonie raised the pole above her head and bounced into the air repeatedly like a spring. “Alright, I oughta get home now, but I’ll see ya tomorrow then, Byleth! Don’t play hooky on me, ya hear?” She pointed her staff at Byleth as a playful threat. “Oh, and thanks again for the help!!”

She bowed, then waved goodbye to Byleth before starting for home. Byleth once again gave a blank stare for a short while, but returned the gesture quickly enough. Once Leonie saw, she beamed and ran off with a skip in her step.

“...Nice girl.” Byleth muttered.

Her dad would always apologize to her from time to time, something about not being able to give her chances to make friends. Byleth had never really thought twice about it. But this time, she wondered if Leonie was what having a ‘friend’ was like.

And if it was, then she wanted to be around Leonie a lot more.


End file.
